The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-09-15
HROWNOPEN TO YOUNG MEN
Impressive Dedication Of the Handsome
New Y. M. C. A. Building Last Night.
An Eloquent Address by Rev. c. N. Sims
on the Purposes and Work of the
Young Mems Christian Association.

lion last night TO attend the dedication services
Enough of them remained to crowd the audience
room to its utmost capacity, and fill the APP
proaches as far back the voices of the speak
ere could be heard. AS many more turned away
after wandering about the building and inspect
ing its handsome appointments. Although this
large percentage were disappointed in their ef
fort TO hear the services, no one gave any
evidence of disappointment with the building.
On all sides were heard testimonial TO its
beauty, it's solidity, its simplicity its adoption
to the ends for which it was designed.
The dedication services were begun b. ~
anthem. 80, Sing Unto the Lord" which was
rendered by the choir of the Central Christian
Church This was followed by an eloquent in
vocation by Rev. G. l.. McNutt Then came
Scripture selection. impressively read by Rev.
J. B. Baltzly. AT this point variation was
made in the original programme and Prof Ora
Pearson sang where Is NV Wandering Boy
Tonight" the choir carrying the chorus.
Hon. J. V. Farwell announced his inability TO
attend by telegram. In his place heard a
financial report from the treasurer. OF the
$25,002 subscribed. SIG. 6S7. 36 had been paid in
cash, 81, 374 81 was held in notes payable within
year. and So, 73S was unpaid. The loan ON the
building is $40, 900. Out of this total OF $780,
1916 received, $36.174 has been paid
out leaving on hand $742. The deficiency needed
to be met at once is 81, 070, distributed as fol-
lows: Due on contracts. 81. 070; for furnishing
gymnasium. 800; for furnishing rooms, 81, 300.
The net liability. counting unpaid subscriptions
ut par, is $l5. 30.
The address Of the evening was delivered by
Rev q. N. Sims, formerly of this city,
Chancellor of Syracuse University. He said:
II congratulate the city of Indianapolis and the
~ 49,.
am glad to return TO my old home where
spent three of the happest years
Of my life, to assist in the dedica-
sory services One OF the grardest
features of tho growth of the century is the cor
slant broadening of charity. AT its beginning
mission work was almost unknown to the
Protestant world. The fresh air missions and
the flower missions have sprung ND within the
memory OF those who yet youthful Hos
pitfalls and schools are increasing in number with
wondroua rapidity Now find a man who
his means to erect a fountain in a publ:
place. now one will open a garden and fill lit
with rare and beautiful flowers. A millionaire
once said to me, Il remember an expression in
one Of your prayers that made greater impress
sion on me than all your sermons. 1t was that
we might do with what we had all the good that
was possible and no harm To do that is chart
ty. Among our greatest charities are the Y. NJ
@. AS. Whether wise or otherwise in their
work. they have found place
in the sentiment of the age. They more
~.
their work wisel Is there room for it! One of
the saddest facts In human existence is the dan
ger of a man from himself and from other men
the danger of harm from kindly associations
when no harm is intended. 1t is the gratifca-
ton OF desires in pleasant company that brings
most men 10 destruction. This increases with
civilization. In the state of savagery life
has little effect on others. In our system of
commercial and social relations man touches
many. and in unexpected ways. The great
problem of civilization is how to save men from
themselves. Is there place in this work for
the Y. M. c. AT There many people in the
churches, and very good people, too, who feel a
vague, unexpressed hostility to the Y. NJ. c. A.
They know that it takes young from the
meetings OF the church. and they feel that it is
IN some way interfering with the church. The
Y: NJ. Z. A. cannot take the place
Of the church. The Church OF Christ
greater than all organizations But it does not
undertake all kinds of work. There is work
that it cannot reach. ask you in what relation
does the church stand to the inmates OF your
jailsl-in what to the dens of infamyQ-in what
to the young man who reaches your city,
stranger. without means to pay for his food or
lodging? 1t has no machinery for reaching out to
them. The Young Mems Christian Association
has a field peculiarly Its own 1t gives the
friendless youth home. society, guidance and in
struction. 1t finds him by means which the
church does NOT know, and aids him in ways
which church management has sought out.
1t is said that the doors of the church are open,
about i'll Strangers coming to this
city, and every city, day
after DAY ana week after week, q great process
sion of them. How they received? Some
letter of introduction is necessary to bring them
Into the fellowship of the church. You do not
lake them to your homes without introduction.
No business man employs them without intro
auction. To everyone of the best ways of
eiety Introduction is necessary. But the
stranger needs no introduction to admit him TO
'he theater, the gambling-room or the
saloon. No den of lnfamy asks for his
credentials. Ought not some to be ready
20 receive him the abodes of SIM 1t needs
40 argument to prove that Surely, some hand
ought to be ready to grasp his In the first
igous meeting ever attended in Indianapolis,
when but child of thirteen. l a stranger
n the city, and without means to take me to the
next town. When the services were over and
the people were passing out. there was one ven
srable woman who stopped to inquire about me
and TO take me to her home. That is of the
most blessed memories of my life.
There is no loneliness like loneliness of man
among strangers and without means The
loneliness OF dinner table is not like the lone
Illness of the street. To the friendless. penniless
man the crowded walks of Broadway make q
worse desert than Sahara. 1t is the mission of
the Y. M. e. A to dispel this loneliness. boy
who has good home with his kindred is better
provided for than this society could provide for
him; but there are so many who have not homes
friends. who wander in the darkness while
more favored ones sit by cheerful fresides Do
you know that darkness is the best ally of the
deviR Do you know that light is the greatest
police AGENT One light in front of your door is
worth two policemen. Out in field boy
turned over Hat stone and when the light fell
ON the place il had covered multitude of hid
eous. crawling things began fastening away to
new hiding places. week later he returned
and found that the grass which had grown pale
and feeble in the darkness had become green
and strong So it ia when the light falls on the
dark places of life. Society is a protection
mans morals Acquaintance is Many a man
81 far respectability does things when he goes
% New York that he would not do here, where
no Is known. We are all weak-very weak We
nsed all OF the pressure of society to protect u.s.
Inc stranger has none of this protection The
rommunity tnat does not raise the question or
what TO do with its homeless young men over
ooks It's own safety. Statistics show that the |
greatest amount OF crime is committed by
between the ages of eighteen and twenty three
10 Is so because men of that age are inexperienced
and unsettled In their habits In speaking be-
lore an audience Of six hundred convicts I told |
ibem that there were three classes of crime |
.rlme from deliberatioD, from impulse and |
trop habit The